Highway guard



Aug. 9, 1932. P. E. HUNTER 1,871,062

HIGHWAY GUARD Filed Feb. l0, 1952 ZSheets-Sheet l r*Il lill:

P. E. HUNTER Agg. 9, 1932.

HIGHWAY GUARD Filed Feb. 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 55 Q O OIL-"45 HnllllUl.

L O O @EN OR Patented Aug. 9, 1932 '-iNirn rHacY E. HUNTER, or riTTsBUHGH; PENNSYLVANIA HIGHWAY crimini) e Application led February 10, 1932. Serial No. 592,016.v

My invention relates to Jfences or guard railings and the `lilte and is especially suitable for use along highways, bridges, etc.

Ywhicliis also ot pleasing appearance.

Some Vof the forms which my invention maytake are shownin the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is ak front elevational view of a portion of a tence; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the structure ot' Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line .11F-III of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line lV-IV of Fig.` 2, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modification;

. Fig. 6 shows a modification of the structure of ig. 1; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectionalview ofthe structure of Fig. `6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged view, taken'on theline VIII-V111 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is an enlarged view taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. 7, and Fig. 10 is, .a vertical sectional view showing still `another modification of the structure. y

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, lpshow a railing structure which includes a main post* 11, which is of I-beam form, the lower end v of which is imbedded in concrete orthe lilre and has anchor rods 12 connectedthereto,

'Y which are also imbedded in the concrete. v It will be understoochof course, thatwhen' employed on bridges, the` posts may be bolted" or otherwise securedto the structural members of the bridge. 'Bottom rails 13,

bars or splice plates 14 which extend through perforations in the webs of the -posts 11 and are connected at their ends to thehorizontal A here shown asangle bars," are connected to the posts by means of-tie flanges ofthe rails 13, by'nieans ofbolts Y Each tie bar 14 is offset or bent at its mid portion, and after the tie bar isjslid into position in the post, a key 16 is also inserted 'into the slot tohold or to wedge the bent or recessedportion ofthe tie bar in snug engagement witlif the adjacent siirifaeefof thepOSt,

the offset portion of thetie barthereby being caused to serve as. stops for preventing longitudinal shitting of therails 13 andthe; tiebar relative to the post. The key 16 is retained inposition by one of the bolts 15, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1.v

intermediate rails 17 may suitably be of `sheet metal stamped or rolled toegenerally channel vform, butvhavingv their upper flanges 18 of considerably greater widththantheir lower flanges 19. The intermediateor buffer rails17 are located at such distance above the road surface that they will receive the impact of vehicle wli'eela'biimpers, etc.l

These rails are positioned with their webs against the outer faces ofthe posts 11 and their flanges 18`ov`erlying the upper endsof said posts. -The lower flanges 19 Yof the rails` are cutaway somewhatadjacent to the edges of the posts to permit the "webs of the rails .to-lie against thel faces of the posts. Y

The rails 17 are connected "o the posts by means of tie plates or splice bars 21 whose intermediate portions arev bent-or oii'set at 22. The web of each post 11 is provided lwith a vertical sloty at its upper end into which the offset 22 of the tiebar may be inserted.

vThe tie bar is secured to the rails 17 by means of bolts 23 and 24, the bolts 124 extending also Y .through'theflanges of the post 11.V

An upper or hand ra'il 26 of sheet metal or other 'suitable material is supported by post members 27 which are shown. as of channel form. -Thepost members 27 are secured to the rear flanges of the posts 1 1 by bolts'or rivets 28.

. The topfraii eeiepfovided with a. depara-Y ing flange 29. The flanges 29 of the top rail sections 26 arelconnected together-Thy tie bars 30 which are offset at 31, the offset portion of the tie being dropped into vertical slots in the upper ends of the posts 27; VThe ends of each tie bar 30 are secured to therail sec-VV lower flanges 19 of the intermediate rails 17v vertical flanges of the lower rails and to the 13.

The tie bars'21 serve not only to supportY theintermedate rail sections 4 in proper position with'respect to the posts 11, but also function as tension members to transmit tensil stresses 4from .One rail section to another.

T lius, if a vehicle runs against amid portion of one of the rail sections 17, the tie bars will function as tension members for trans- Initting' stresses to adjacent rail sections;

and the series of intermediate rail sections, together with the tie bars, will function as a cable to resist impacts and to prevent permafnent deformation ofthe rail section that re- Las ceives the impact of Va vehicle, particularly the rail sections are of sheet metal and. V.have some flexibility.

The. intermediate rail 17 is particularly suited to serve as a buffer for receiving the impact ofvehicle wheels, etc., even though of .comparatively light mat eria l,fbecause of its flanges 18 and 19,` which resist bending stresses, andparticularly because of. the

Vflange 18 which isof vgreat width compared to the flanges.V of 'ordinary channel rails.

Furthermore, the widened flange; l8permits Vof placing the peet Sect-ien .27, the terrai1 26am-the pickets 36 fer-.enough rearwardly.

of the VVimp'act-receivig surface .of the rail 17 that .they will not ordinarily The engaged "lide'with the' intermediate rail.

The flange. 18 of thentermedate. rail not by Y any portionof a vehicle wh'i vonly 'givesl added strength byreason of its l. width, 'but increasesthe architectural beauty Trai "andsnow, Referring now ofthe structure, and seryes tol shedwater Y to Fig-5,1 show a structure that issimilar to that Aof Figs. 1 to 4, .butwherein'the top `rail `26u; has a horizontally-extending Vange 29er, ,and the intermediate rail 17a` has flange portions -extending horizontally'at- 18a and`19a, so that pickets 36a. and 37a maybe pressed into p'erfofrations contained in said flanges instead of makingA v necessary ,to rivet yor bolt thelpickets in l place as inFigQl. Inithis structure, the bot- .tcm 18a has itsgupperilange'turned horizontally for the reception of the lower endsv of the pickets 37a. VThe' upper flange of the.

is connectedtothe posts inthesame .manner. .ee is the .betteln Milf 1? InFigs'. 6 to`9, I Ashow a structure wherein' tion ,53 ie further eeneeeted .te .the

main vposts 40 are employed, in the form ofl hollowv castings. These posts are suitably imbedded in the roadway or secured thereto in any other suitable manner. A t their lower-ends, the posts have their sides perforated for the reception of the ends of bottom rail sections 41 and tie bars 42. Thetie bars are offset yat their mid portions and are first inserted through the perforations in the posts.

The ends of .rail sections 41 are then inserted and are secured to the'tie bars 42 by bolts 43. The rails and the tie bars snugly lit the perforations so that the offset shoulder portions of the tie bar serve as stops to prevent longitudinal shifting of the railfsections-41 withrespect to'fthe posts.

` Intermediate rail sections'44 whicli'may be formed similarly to the rail sections'1'8 have vtheir ends in abutting engagement'with the sides of theposts 40. Each-post@ is perforated for the reception of a tie' bar45 that is oset at its mid portion"an d*which has its'ojli'set shoulders held in snug engage- "ment 'with the sides'of the posts by'keyfba'rs i or wedges 46,"the`members 44, 45 and46 -being connected together by means VVof bolts 47.

`Q By this arrangement, .it is not necessary thatV bolt holes or specially-formed lugs, flanges, clips, `orn` plates be provided in the post 40 Afor the connection of'tiebars v,and

rails thereto, since the arrangement 'of the tie bar andkey .bars securely hold the rails in position'on the post. The tie bars 44 in thisfstructure V'function also vas" tension members as described in connection withfthe. Ytie bars of Figs. -'1 to `4,jto transmit longitudinal stresses.v A ca provided for each post. v

vThe @upper flanges 50 of the` intermediate railfsections 44`are connected to each other by atie jbar 51 (Fig, 8) VWhose endsare-fas- .tenedtethe flanges. .50 'end Wheh ere eehnectedtothe posts "by bolts "T hek-mid portion of each tie bar 5 1` is offset and lies kin 'perforations formed in the flanges voffan "lupleer peetmember '53, the -beltSJZeXieildieg also vthrough the web ofthe .post sec'tion `53, and through a key .plate '54 that holds the effeet portion of the tie ber .5l inelese-tirg engagementwith the p ost 5 3, AThe post sec- Peet :members 53 in e meneereiiniler t0 that Y -in which the railsection sL 2G are mountedand pickets 57 and 5 8 a re` mou r 1 t ed inplace s imilar tothe manner in which .l-1e pickets 36 V and 8 7 are positioned.- In Fig. 10, Ishow a nailing structure" wherein main posts 8 0, of concrete are provided .0.1.1 bridge Stlueturies, medinfoY 'be LVprovided along ah-ighway, if desired`,1 to 'support upper and lower rails 81,and 8 2 re- .Sreeirely eed intermediate rails. Srekets' '84 and 85 vbeingniounted in place similar p er teprlete" e8 .ie

l flo to the manner in which the pickets 36and 37 of Fig. 1 are positioned. The intermedi-l ate rails 83 are formed similarly to the rail sections 18, so that the upper rails 81 and pickets 84 will be positioned rearwardly of the impact-receiving surface of the rail 83. Tie bars or splice plates 86 and87 are imbedded in the posts 8O adjacent to their upper and lowei` ends, respectively, and extend outwardly from the sides of the posts, for connection with the ends of the upper and lower rail sections 81 and 82, respectively.

The intermediate rails 83 are connected to the posts 80 by means of tie plates 88, the ends of the rails being bolted or otherwise secured to the ends of the tie plates. The transmission of tensile stresses from one rail section to another isafforded by the tie bars,

in the same manner as heretofore described;

I claim as my invention 1. Fence structure comprising posts, a buffer rail secured to said posts, adjacent to the upper ends thereof, and upper guard railing structure secured to therear side of the posts.

2. Fence structure comprising posts, a buffer rail secured to the front sides of said posts, and upper guard railing structure mounted in a vertical plane adjacent tothe rear sides of said rail and posts. j

8. Fence structure comprising a buffer rail of channel form, with its web portion disposed in aA vertical plane, and having one flange of greater width than the other'flange, and pickets secured to said flanges.`

4. Fence structurecomprising a buffer rail of channel form, with its web portion disposed in a vertical plane, and having its upper flange extending upwardly and rearwardly from the said web.

5. Fence structure comprising'a buffer rail of sheet metal, in the form of a channel having its web portion disposed in a vertical plane, and having a rearwardly-extendingV flange whose width is not less than the width of said web. 'o

6. Fence structure comprising a top rail,

' an intermediate rail of channel form, a bottom rail, pickets connected to the top rail and one flange of the intermediate rail, and pickets connected to the bottom rail and the other flange of the intermediate rail, the lirst-named pickets being located rearwardly farther than the second-named pickets.

' 7. Fence structure comprising main posts,

a buffer rail of channel form secured to the front sides of and overlying the upper ends 9. Fence structure comprising main posts, upper .post sections mounted at the rear sides of the main posts, a buffer rail secured to the main posts adjacent to the front sides thereof, and panel members secured to the upper post sections.

10. Fence structure comprising a buler rail of channel form and having an upwardly and rearwardly-extending liange portion, and mea-ns for supporting pickets adjacent Vto the rear edge of said flange portion.

rail having an approximately vertically-dis posed face, a flange portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from the Asaid face,

and means affording vertical support to the said flange at points rearwardly of said face.

In testimony whereof I, the said PERCY HUNTER have hereunto set my hand.

PERCY E. Hllhl'lllt.

of said posts, and a guard railing structure ext-ending upwardly from the rear edge of said rail. Y

8. Fence structure comprisinga buffer rail, a lower panel disposed in a plane rearwardly of the vertical face of the bulfer rail, and an upper panel disposed in a plane rearwardly of said buffer rail and rearwardly of thevertical plane of the first-named panel. 

